11/01/2010[Company watch]Qiagen, WuXi AppTec work together for biomarker development

Qiagen Asia Pacific and WuXi AppTec announced a partnership to provide an integrated single solution for molecular biomarker development, validation and personalized healthcare targets to their respective client bases, with Qiagen providing a complete portfolio of instrumentation, training, and consumables and WuXi AppTec providing laboratory facilities and staff to execute the services.

Qiagen, WuXi AppTec work together for biomarker development
Qiagen Asia Pacific and WuXi AppTec announced a partnership to provide an integrated single solution for molecular biomarker development, validation and personalized healthcare targets to their respective client bases, with Qiagen providing a complete portfolio of instrumentation, training, and consumables and WuXi AppTec providing laboratory facilities and staff to execute the services. The laboratory will be located at WuXi AppTecâ€™s campus in Shanghai and will begin operating immediately.
Under the terms of the partnership agreement, WuXi AppTec will also work with Qiagen to help develop biomarkers, assay panels, personalized healthcare diagnostics, and other products that Qiagen intends to bring to market. WuXi AppTec will use Qiagenâ€™s technologies for a broad range of applications in support of drug discovery and development on behalf of the companyâ€™s and Qiagenâ€™s customers. Both companies are working closely to identify additional opportunities to expand their relationship.
Dr. Victor Shi, President, Asia Pacific of Qiagen, said, â€śWe have created what we believe to be the first laboratory of its kind in Asia equipped with a standardized, fully integrated, automated sample and assay technology platform for drug discovery, development and molecular diagnostics in personalized healthcare and other areas. We believe that this partnership is a significant milestone in providing high-quality and complete automated solutions for the molecular biomarker testing industry.\"
\"WuXi AppTec has long been interested in partnering with a premier international molecular biotechnology company like Qiagen to support the development of our biomarker business,\" said Dr. Ge Li, Chairman and CEO of WuXi AppTec. \"This partnership gives us access to innovative technologies and processes that will allow us to better serve our customers.\"
The announcement of the partnership with WuXi AppTec follows Qiagenâ€™s recent acquisitions of DxS Ltd. and SABiosciences in the biomarker and personalized medicine field. These acquisitions bring additional technologies and expertise to the Qiagen portfolio, allowing biomedical researchers and pharmaceutical companies to facilitate and accelerate the discovery and validation of biomarkers. Qiagen also recently opened its new Asia headquarters in Shanghaiâ€™s Zhangjiang High-Technology Park, a major pharmaceutical R&D hub in China, facilitating industry-leading support for its many pharmaceutical customers.